SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION. 

UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL  MUSEUM. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  COLLECTING  REPTILES  AND 

BATRACHIANS. 


LEONHARD  STEJNEGER, 


Curator  of  the  Departvient  o/  Reptiles  and  BatracJiians. 


Part  E  of  Bulletin  of  the  United  States  National  Museum,  No.  39. 


WASHINGTON  : 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 


1891. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  COLLECTING  REPTILES  AND  BATRACHIAXS 


By  Leonhard  Stejneger, 

Curator  of  the  Department  of  Reptiles  and  Batrachians. 


IXTRODTTOTOKY  NOTE. 

The  following  directions  are  prepared  for  the  use  of  collectors  who, 
without  being  herpetological  experts,  desire  to  procure  for  the  Museum 
specimens  of  the  reptiles  and  batrachians  which  they  may  be  able  tp 
gather  in  the  neighborhood  of  their  residence’  or  while  traveling. 
Persons  who  devote  themselves  to  collecting  these  animals  exclusively 
are  but  rarely  met  with,  but  there  are  numerous  collectors  of  other 
objects  of  natural  history  who  would  be  willing  to  preserve  the  reptiles 
and  batrachians,  if  they  only  knew  how  to  do  it  in  the  easiest  and  most 
satisfactory  way.  Such  persons  have  usually  very  limited  space  and 
time  to  dev^ote  to  this  branch  of  zoology,  a  circumstance  which  has 
been  taken  into  consideration  in  preparing  these  directions. 

The  herpetological  specialist  will  know  how  to  collect  better  than  1 
can  tell  him,  and  the  scientific  explorer  who  goes  into  distant  lands  far 
from  communication  with  the  civilized  world,  with  a  large  outfit  and 
for  a  protracted  period,  will  need  special  instructions  and  extensive 
apparatus  (soldering  outfit,  distilling  apparatus,  etc.),  which  can  be 
more  advantageously  prepared  in  each  individual  case. 

APPARATUS. 

The  following  articles  are  more  or  less  necessary  for  successfully  col¬ 
lecting  reptiles  and  batrachians,  though  many  of  them  are  not  exclu¬ 
sively  used  for  this  purpose.  By  checking  off  on  this  list  before  start¬ 
ing  the  collector  may  at  once  know  whether  he  has  suiTpiied  himself 
with  the  essential  means  of  collecting. 

1.  Gun  with  auxiliary  barrel,  or  collecting  pistol  (see  Directions  for 
Collecting  Birds,  pp.  7-9). 

2.  Dip  net. 

3.  Fishhooks  and  tackle. 

4.  A  pair  of  stout  leather  gloves. 

5.  Bags  of  cotton  cloth,  or  cheese  cloth  (see  page  9). 

6.  Fishing  basket,  or  botanical  collecting  box  of  tin. 

[3] 


BULLETIN  39,  UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL  MUSEUM.  [4] 

7.  Collecting  can  with  straj^.  The  one-gallon  copper  can  (described 
under  the  following  number)  with  two  loops  fastened  on  top  for  the 
insertion  of  the  strap  will  do  good  service. 

8.  Chest  of  tanks  filled  with  alcohol.  A  very  compact  and  handy 
outfit  is  figured  in  the  appended  cut  (fig.  1).  It  consists  of  two  co})per 
tanks  and  a  tin  case  inclosed  in  a  wooden  box.  The  latter  is  made  of 
half-inch  boards  and  measures  outside,  exclusive  of  strips,  length  13, 
width  12,  height  0^  inches.  The  hinges  are  fastened  on  the  inside,  and 
there  is  a  handle  on  the  top  of  the  lid  for  carrying.  It  is  locked  by 
means  of  a  brass  padlock.  The  larger  tank  measures,  outside,  inches 


Tig.  1. — Chest  of  tanks. 

long,  6f  inches  wide,  and  7f  inches  high,  and  holds  about  2  gallons  of 
alcohol ;  the  smaller  holds  a  little  less  than  a  gallon,  with  the  follow¬ 
ing  measurements:  length  8|,  width  3J,  and  height  8|  inches.  Both 
have  brass  screw  tops  with  rubber  packing,  the  larger  with  an  opening 
4^  inches  in  diameter,  the  smaller  inches.  To  lilt  them  out  of  the 
box  the  larger  has  two  handles  on  top,  the  smaller  one  on  the  side. 
The  tin  box  has  the  following  dimensions:  Length  9J,  width  8|,  height 
2§  inches,  and  should  also  have  a  handle.  In  the  box  is  room  enough 
for  the  hypodermic  syringe,  forcei)S,  notebook,  writing  materials,  labels, 
cheese  cloth  for  wrapping,  bags,  cotton,  etc.  The  whole  outfit  when 
filled  weighs  only  40  pounds. 


[5]  COLLECTING  REPTILES  AND  BATRACIIIANS - STEJNEGER. 


It  is  always  the  best  policy  to  use  the  best  quality  of  alcohol,  but 
when  this  cannot  be  had,  methylated  alcohol  will  do  for  teinx)orary  use, 
at  least.  Even  native  whiskies,  brandy,  or  other  alcoholic  liquids  may 
be  used  in  cases  of  necessity,  if  of  sufficient  strength.  As  a  practical 
test  for  ascertaining  this  point,  it  may  be  said  that  an  alcoholic  liquid 
will  preserve  the  specimens  as  long  as  it  can  be  ignited  without  first 
being  heated. 

9.  Iron  bar  or  “key”  for  unscrewing  to})  of  tanks. 

10.  One  pair  of  Bond’s  i^lacental  forceps,  12  inches  long 
(see  fig.  2).  Invaluable  in  the  field  both  for  jncking  up 
si)ecimens  and  for  handling  the  alcoholics.  In  t!ie  field 
it  may  be  carried  conveniently  by  the  side  like  a  sword. 

I  found  one  of  the  buttonholes  of  my  suspenders  quite  the 
thing  for  this  purpose.  Price,  about  $2.50. 

11.  Long  spring  forceps,  not  less  than  8  inches  long,  for 
handling  alcoholics  (same  kind  as  described  in  Directions 
for  Collecting  Birds,  p.  11,  fig.  8). 

1 2.  Hypodermic  syringe  with  needle  i)oint  for  injecting  (q 
alcohol  into  specimens  (see  fig.  3).  Its  caj^acity  should 
not  be  less  than  00  minims.  A  syringe  similar  to  the  one 
figured,  in  neat  case,  can  be  had  for  about  $3.  Those  in 
nickel-plated  metal  case  (the  “Phenix,”  for  instance)  are 
to  be  i^referred. 

13.  Stringed  labels  (see  fig.  5,  page  10). 

14.  Cheese  cloth  for  wrai^ifing.  Use  only  white  cloth 
for  wrapping  as  any  dye  is  sure  to  be  extracted  by  the 
alcohol,  discoloring  the  specimens. 

15.  Knife,  or  scalj^el,  and  a  pair  of  pointed  scissors  (see 
Directions  for  Collecting  Birds,  px^.  9-10). 

10.  Fine  metal  thread,  twine,  and  cotton  thread. 

17.  Note-book. 

18.  Ridgway’s  “Nomenclature  of  Colors”  (seex>age  9). 

19.  Adhesive  shipxfing  labels  (see  page  13). 


Fi 


G.  2. — Bond’s 
Forceps. 


Fig.  3. — Hypodermic  Syringe,  three-quarter  natural  size. 


BULLETIN  39,  UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL  MUSEUM.  [6] 
GENERAL  REMARKS. 

1  wish  to  impress  upon  the  collector  that  one  well-labeled  and  well- 
preserved  specimen  is  worth  more  than  ten  mutilated  or  half  decom¬ 
posed  specimens  without  labels.  A  man  who  is  not  willing  to  take 
the  trouble  of  properly  labeling  his  specimens  need  not  go  to  the 
trouble  of  collecting  them,  for  in  our  days  specimens  without  data  as 
to  the  exact  locality,  at  least,  are  not  worth  the  alcohol  they  are  kept  in. 
Follow,  therefore,  explicitly  the  directions  relating  to  labeling  given 
further  on. 

In  any  given  locality  try  to  collect  specimens  of  all  the  species 
occurring  there,  no  matter  whether  they  are  common  or  not,  and  in¬ 
variably  i^reserve  the  first  specimen  of  any  species  whether  bad  or 
good.  But  do  not  be  satisfied  with  one  specimen  of  each  kind  ;  if  they 
are  not  too  large  try  to  get  at  least  six  specimens,  and,  if  any  kind 
shows  great  individual  variation  or  you  happen  to  know  that  it  is  a 
rare  species  in  collections,  two  dozen  are  not  too  man^^ 

As  a  general  rule  the  largest  and  most  conspicuous  species  are  the 
least  interesting.  Small  and  insignificant  forms  of  secluded  habits, 
particularly  those  living  in  holes  or  burrows  in  the  ground,  are  most 
likely  to  be  novelties  or  great  desiderata  of  our  museum. 

If  you  can  not,  for  one  reason  or  another,  i)reserve  all  the  speci¬ 
mens  you  are  able  to  procure,  make  your  selection  of  individuals  in 
the  following  way :  Of  the  largest  species  select  individuals  of  medium 
and  small  size;  of  the  smallest  species  take  care  to  get  most  of  the 
largest  specimens.  Be  sure  that  the  individual  variation  exhibited 
among  the  specimens  caught  is  well  represented  in  the  series  selected. 

WHEN  AND  WHERE  TO  COLLECT. 

While  reptiles  and  batrachians  may  be  found  occasionally  at  any 
season,  spring  is  the  time  for  systematic  collecting,  the  beginning  of 
the  collecting  season  depending  of  course  upon  the  meteorologic  con¬ 
ditions.  In  a  climate  not  too  severe  batrachians  may  be  looked  for 
on  the  first  mild  days  signaling  the  breaking  up  of  winter,  while  the 
reptiles,  as  a  rule,  require  warmer  weather  to  rouse  them  from  their 
hibernation. 

The  differences  between  these  two  classes  manifest  themselves  not 
only  in  their  structure,  but  quite  as  much  in  their  habits,  and  their 
collecting  is  therefore  essentially  different.  The  batrachians,  gener¬ 
ally,  prefer  dark  and  damp  places,  and  the  best  time  for  collecting 
them  is,  therefore,  very  early  in  the  morning  or  late  evenings.  Many 
of  them  will  be  found  in  dense  woods  or  swamps,  among  decaying 
leaves,  in  old  stumps,  under  fallen  logs  or  stones,  and  in  wet  moss, 
while  the  purely  aquatic  species  have  to  be  looked  for  in  springs, 
ponds,  rivers,  or  lakes. 


[7]  COLLECTING  REPTILES  AND  BATRACHIANS - STEJNEGER. 

Most  of  the  reptiles,  on  the  other  baud,  love  the  light  aod  the  heat 
of  the  sun,  and  usually  no  locality  furnishes  more  species  and  speci¬ 
mens  than  the  hot  and  sandy  desert  or  the  snn-baked  rocks  on  the 
soutliern  slopes  of  a  mountainous  country,  though  in  the  tropics  the 
dense  forests  abound  with  their  own  particular  species.  The  aquatic  rep. 
tiles,  chiefly  snakes,  will  have  to  be  lool^ed  for  in  their  own  element.  A 
number  of  reptiles  are  more  or  less  nocturnal  in  their  habits,  for  in¬ 
stance  many  of  the  poisonous  snakes,  and  these  may  often  be  gathered 
in  numbers  on  warm  moonlight  nights.  A  fire  or  lantern  may  then  be 
used  to  advantage.  They  are  also  often  found  after  a  mild  thunder 
shower,  as  are  likewise  many  of  the  inoftensive,  particularly  the  bur¬ 
rowing  species. 

The  latter  are  usually  the  most  interesting  as  well  as  the  rarest 
species  in  collections.  Special  care  should  therefore  be  taken  to  obtain 
as  many  of  them  as  possible,  and  the  collector  should  always  be  on  the 
lookout  whenever  any  digging  of  ditches  or  plowing  of  ground  goes 
on  in  his  neighborhood. 

In  very  warm  and  dry  climates  the  best  time  for  collecting  reptiles  is 
just  after  the  first  summer  rain. 

SEOUKTNG  SPECIMENS. 

A  good  many  reptiles  and  batrachians  are  easily  enough  secured  by 
simply  picking  them  up  with  the  hand.  A  quick  grab  with  five  or  ten 
fingers,  as  the  case  may  be,  will  bring  many  others  in  the  collectors 
power,  though  sometimes  he  will  find  himself  the  possessor  of  only  the 
wriggling  tail,  while  the  rest  and  more  important  portion  of  the  lizard 
scampers  away  and  disappears  in  the  nearest  crevice.  But  other  ani¬ 
mals  are  either  too  quick  in  their  movements,  or  they  are  too  shy,  or 
they  live  among  the  thorny  cactus,  or  in  the  w^ater,  and  for  these  other 
means  of  capture  are  to  be  devised. 

The  latter  have  either  to  be  caught  with  line  and  hook,  baited  with  raw 
meat,  as,certain  turtles,  or  with  a  dip- net ;  but  as  to  the  others  I  know 
of  no  better  way  to  secure  them  than  to  shoot  them  with  the  .32  or  .22 
caliber  auxiliary  barrel  or  collecting  pistol,  or  to  catch  them  with  a 
slip- noose. 

As  to  the  arms  mentioned  I  refer  to  what  Mr.  B.  Ridgway  has  said 
in  the  Directions  for  Collecting  Birds,  with  the  only  addition  that  for 
shooting  reptiles  I  would  not  advise  the  use  of  ‘‘  wood”  powder.  I  am 
not  thoroughly  satisfied  that  this  powder  is  reliable  under  all  circum¬ 
stances,  and  the  greater  noise  of  the  black  powder  is  of  no  consequence 
in  this  kind  of  collecting.  The  latter  fouls  the  gun  more,  but  the 
auxiliary  barrel  is  so  easily  cleaned  that  but  little  is  gained  by  using 

wood”  powder. 

Specimens  are  often  badly  mutilated  by  shooting,  but  more  specimens 
are  so  easily  obtained  in  this  than  in  any  other  way,  and  the  collector 
can  therefore  make  his  selection  for  preservation  from  a  greater  num¬ 
ber  of  specimens. 


BULLETIN  39,  UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL  MUSEUM.  [8] 

During  iny  collecting  trip  in  Arizona,  in  1880,  most  of  tlie  lizards 
obtained  were  shot,  as  well  as  all  the  frogs.  The  latter  would  sit 
motionless  along  the  border  of  tbe  river,  but  as  soon  as  they  caught  a 
glimpse  of  my  dip  net  they  jumped  into  the  creek  and  immediately  dis¬ 
appeared  in  its  muddy  waters,  and  not  until  I  learned  that  a  light 
charge  of  Xo.  12  shot  would  cause  them  to  turn  their  white  bellies  up 
without  even  a  kick  did  I  secure  a  specimen. 

Very  often  a  snake  or  lizard,  if  caught  alive,  will  turn  upon  its  captor 
and  bite  him  furiously;  but  with  the  exception  of  the  distinctly  venomous 
kinds  their  bite,  even  though  it  may  draw  blood,  will  cause  no  harm.  A 
stout  leather  glove  is  in  such  cases  of  great  service. 

The  poisonous  snakes,  of  course,  require  more  care  in  handling.  They 
may  either  be  shot,  or  if  it  is  preferred  to  capture  them  alive,  a  long 
stick  bifurcated  at  the  end  may  be  used  in  pinning  them  to  the  ground 
by  placing  the  fork  over  their  neck  just  behind  the  head.  They  are 
also  sometimes  secured  by  spearing  with  a  long  stick,  to  the  end  of 
which  is  fastened  a  stout  fishhook  straightened  out.  This  instrument 
may  also  be  found  useful  in  reaching  s])ecimens  which  have  taken 
refuge  in  some  otherwise  inaccessible  place. 

Another  method  not  uncommonly  adopted  by  collectors  is  to  slip  a 
noose  over  the  head  of  the  unsuspecting  lizard  or  snake  as  illustrated 
by  fig.  4.  Formerly  a  noose  of  horsehair  was  considered  the  best 


thing  for  small  animals,  but  Mr.  Benedict,  who  has  had  a  good  deal  of 
experience  in  collecting  reptiles  when  resident  naturalist  of  the  U.  S. 
Fish  Commission  steamer  Albatross^  has  demonstrated  to  me  the  sn])eri- 
ority  of  fine  annealed  iron  wire,  such  as  is  usually  sold  in  hardware 


[9]  COLLECTING  REPTILES  AND  BATKACHIANS - STEJNEGER. 

stores  wound  on  spools.  Various  sizes,  from  Nos.  22  to  34,  may  be  found 
useful  5  the  larger  sizes  might  probably  be  quite  as  serviceable  if  of 
copper.  For  larger  snakes  a  noose  of  waxed  twine  will  be  found  to 
work  well  in  many  cases,  and  is  to  be  recommended  to  persons  who  are 
too  nervous  to  grab  a  live  snake  with  an  unprotected  hand. 

The  noose  should  be  fastened  to  the  end  of  a  long  stick,  or  a  light 
switch,  as  the  case  may  require,  and  if  a  few  leaves  are  left  at  the  end 
so  much  the  better,  as  they  will  attract  the  reptile’s  attention  from  the 
noose.  Slip  the  noose  gently  over  its  head  and  a*  sharp  jerk  towards 
the  tail  will  usually  put  the  prize  in  your  possession. 

The  specimen  as  soon  as  secured  should  be  immediately  transferred 
to  one  of  the  small  cheese-cloth  bags  which  the  collector  carries  in  his 
pockets.  A  good  supply  of  these  bags  of  various  sizes,  from  2x4  inches 
to4x  10  inches,  each  one  with  a  string  for  tying  it  up,  should  be  laid  in 
before  starting,  enough  to  average  one  bag  for  every  three  specimens. 
A  paper  label  with  the  exact  locality  written  in  lead  pencil  should  be 
slipped  into  the  bag  with  the  specimen.  If  the  collector  carries  with 
him  a  small  glass  or  metal  jar  with  alcohol  the  bag  with  the  specimen 
may  be  placed  in  it  at  once,  if  not  it  is  put  in  the  pocket  or  in  whatever 
receptacle  the  collector  carries  for  that  purpose.  I  have  found  a  medium- 
sized  fishing  basket  or  a  botanical  collecting  box  of  tin  to  answer  every 
purpose.  The  live  specimens  are  also  put  in  bags,  but  are  not  trans¬ 
ferred  to  alcohol  until  the  day’s  collecting  is  over. 

Frogs,  toads,  and  salamanders,  when  brought  in  alive,  should  be  kept 
moist  by  wetting  the  bag  occasionally  or  wrapping  it  in  wet  moss. 

TAKING  CAEE  OF  THE  SPECIMENS. 

Having  returned  to  his  quarters  the  collector  gets  ready  for  “curing” 
and  labeling  his  specimens,  attending  first  to  those  which  were  killed. 

The  blood  should  be  washed  off  in  water,  and  while  the  specimen  is 
soaking  there  is  time  for  making  the  necessary  entry  in  the  notebook 
and  for  preparing  the  label. 

The  entry  in  the  notebook  should  contain  (1)  the  running  number  of 
the  specimen  ;  (2)  the  exact  locality  where  captured,  besides  county  and 
state ;  (3)  if  possible  the  altitude  above  sea;  (4)  the  character  of  the  soil 
and  vegetation  where  the  specimen  was  found,  whether  on  sand,  among 
rocks,  under  logs  or  stones,  in  holes,  in  a  swamp,  meadow,  desert,  forest 
of  pines  or  deciduous  trees,  among  sagebrush,  cactus,  or  any  other  obser¬ 
vations  of  a  like  nature;  (5)  date  of  capture;  (6)  color  description  of 
fresh  specimen  (it  is  not  necessary  to  describe  the  pattern,  as  that  is 
usually  preserved  in  alcohol,  but  the  exact  shade  of  the  ground  color 
and  of  the  markings  should  be  carefully  determined  by  actual  compar¬ 
ison  witli  the  standards  in  Ridgway’s  Nomenclature  of  Colors*) ;  (7)  local 
vernacular  name,  if  determinable  with  certainty  ;  (8)  other  remarks. 

*ANomenclatureof  Colors  for  Naturalists,  etc.,  by  Robert  Ridg way.  Boston  :  I.ittle, 
Brown  &.  Co.,  1886. 


BULLETIN  39,  UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL  MUSEUM. 

I 


From  the  entry  in  the  notebook  the  label  is  now  made  up.  The  most 
satisfactory  label  is  made  of  first  quality  strong  j^archment  paper  and 
the  writing  should  be  done  either  with  a  No.  2  lead  pencil  or  with  good 
fiuid  India  ink,  care  being  taken  in  the  latter  case  not  to  immerse  the 
label  in  alcohol  until  it  is  perfectly  dry.  It  saves  a  good  deal  of  work 
to  have  the  labels  printed,  cut,  and  stringed  before  starting  on  the  trip; 
the  printing  may  to  great  advantage  contain  the  general  locality  where 
the  collections  are  to  be  made  (as  for  instance  name  of  state  or  country) 
as  well  as  the  name  of  the  collector.  In  addition  to  the  exact  locality 
and  date  the  label  should  contain  the  collector’s  running  notebook 
number.  On  the  back  may  be  written  such  additional  information  or 
notes  as  may  be  deemed  desirable.  A  label  of  good  size  and  shape  is 
shown  in  the  accompanying  cut  (fig.  5)  which  also  indicates  how  to 
string  it. 


Fig.  5.— Sample  label;  natural  .size. 


In  tying  the  label  on  be  careful  not  to  fasten  it  tighter  than  necessary 
to  prevent  the  label  from  slipping  off.  Never  tie  a  label  round  the  neck 
of  a  specimen ;  in  lizards  and  salamanders  fasten  it  round  the  body 
just  behind  the  fore  leg;  in  frogs  and  toads  in  front  of  the  hind  legs; 
in  snakes  round  the  body  at  about  the  anterior  third ;  finally,  in  turtles 
tie  the  string  to  one  of  the  legs,  and  only  in  this  case  is  it  necessary  and 
permissible  to  draw  it  very  tight. 

Before  finally  placing  the  specimen  in  alcohol  the  preserving  fluid 
should  be  made  to  enter  the  body  cavities,  as  the  specimens  are  almost 
sure  to  spoil  if  the  alcohol  is  only  allowed  to  act  on  the  outside.  To 
IDrevent  its  decomposition  from  the  inside  I  have  found  it  most  useful  to 
inject  a  quantity  of  strong  alcohol  by  means  of  a  hypodermic  syringe. 
The  point  of  the  latter  is  run  down  the  throat  and  under  the  scales  into 
the  alimentary  canal,  in  one  or  more  places  according  to  size,  and  in 
large  specimens  it  will  be  found  advantageous  also  to  inject  alcohol  into 
the  larger  muscles.  In  this  way  the  appearance  of  the  specimens  is  not 
injured  in  the  least  and  the  preservation  is  i^erfect.  If  a  syringe  is  not 
at  hand  the  abdominal  cavity  should  be  opened  with  a  pair  of  pointed 


[11]  COLLECTING  REPTILES  AND  BATRACHIANS — STEJNEGER. 

scissors  to  allow  the  fluid  to  enter;  by  this  process  snakes  should  be 
cut  open  in  several  places  along  the  middle  of  the  under  side  across  the 
wide  ventral  plates,  the  so-called  gastrosteges.  Sliould  a  large  lump 
indicate  that  a  snake  contains  food  not  yet  digested,  the  belly  should 
be  opened  and  the  contents  of  the  alimentary  canal  removed — or  pre¬ 
served  separately,  if  desired. 

Before  placing  turtles  in  alcohol  head  and  feet  should  be  drawn  out 
from  the  shell,  the  mouth  should  be  opened,  and  a  small  piece  of  wood 
placed  between  the  jaws  so  as  to  prevent  the  mouth  from  closing.  If 
the  mouths  of  lizards,  snakes,  salamanders,  and  frogs  can  be  kept  open 
without  injuring  their  teeth  so  much  the  better,  as  some  of  the  most 
important  systematic  characters  are  derived  from  the  dentition  and  the 
shape  of  the  tongue,  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  open  the  mouths  of  spec¬ 
imens  which  have  become  hardened  in  alcohol.  A  wad  of  cotton  or 
paper  may  be  found  useful  for  this  purpose. 

The  specimen  is  now  ready  to  be  placed  in  alcohol^  the  only  really 
effective  and  reliable  preserving  fluid.  When  starting  out  the  collector 
should  i^rovide  himself  with  alcohol  of  about  95  per  cent  strength,  but 
he  should  not  use  alcohol  of  this  strength.  The  full  strength  alcohol 
should  be  kept  in  stock  in  the  large  tank,  while  the  specimens  them¬ 
selves  are  kept  in  the  smaller  tank  in  alcohol  of  about  75  per  cent. 
But  the  best  result  will  be  obtained,  if  the  collector  has  opportunity  to 
put  his  specimens  in  still  weaker  alcohol  during  the  first  24  hours,  so 
as  to  allow  the  preservative  fluid  to  penetrate  the  tissues  thoroughly 
before  placing  them  in  the  75  per  cent  alcohol.  It  should  also  be 
remembered  that  this  strength  only  applies  to  reptiles,  as  50  to  60  per 
cent  alcohol  will  do  better  for  batrachians,  which  are  apt  to  shrivel  up 
entirely  in  too  strong  alcohol. 

If  the  specimens  can  remain  undisturbed  in  the  same  place  for  some 
time  no  further  i^recautions  are  necessary,  but  if  the  collector  is  travel¬ 
ing  all  the  time  each  specimen  should  be  placed  separately  in  one  of 
the  cheese-cloth  bags,  so  as  to  prevent  it  from  being  rubbed  during 
transportation.  However,  quite  a  number  of  smooth-skinned  speci¬ 
mens,  or  such  with  scales  which  do  not  come  off  easily  or  are  provided 
with  spines,  may  be  accommodated  in  one  bag.  In  default  of  bags  they 
may  be  wrapped  in  cheese  cloth,  mosquito  netting,  or  any  other  suitable 
material  at  hand. 

►Specimens  brought  home  alive  may  be  sent  to  the  museum  in  that 
condition,  if  the  prospects  for  their  safe  arrival  are  favorable.  This 
will  be  found  especially  practicable  with  turtles,  which  can  usually  be 
kept  a  long  time  without  food.  If  the  specimens,  however,  are  to  be 
killed  this  can  best  be  done  by  drowning  them  in  strong  alcohol.  For 
that  purpose  they  should  be  placed  in  an  empty  vessel  and  the  alcohol 
poured  into  it  through  a  narrow  opening.  The  vessel  should  be  so  full 
as  to  exclude  every  particle  of  air  from  it  and  then  be  covered  up  to 
prevent  the  animal  from  breathing.  Even  witli  these  precautions  some 
kinds  require  a  long  immersion  before  they  die. 


BULLETIN  39,  UNITED  STATES  NATIONAL  MUSEUM.  [12] 

The  above  directions  apply  cliiefly  to  small  and  medium  sized  speci¬ 
mens  wbicli  can  be  accommodated  whole  in  an  ordinary  collector’s  out¬ 
fit.  He  will  occasionally,  however,  come  across  large  specimens,  which 
have  to  be  treated  in  a  different  w  ay. 

Crocodiles,  alligators,  and  very  large  lizards  may  be  skinned  in  the 
same  manner  as  indicated  for  large  mammals,  only  that  no  attempt  is 
made  at  removing  much  less  mutilating  the  skull.  The  crocodiles  and 
alligators  may  be  dried  or  salted,  while  the  lizard  skins  are  better 
placed  in  alcohol,  in  w^hich  case  the  entire  head  and  the  limbs  are  left 
in  the  skin. 

Snakes  too  large  to  be  preserved  in  alcohol  should  be  skinned  in  very 
much  the  same  manner.  After  having  noted  the  total  length  of  the 
specimen  carefully  in  the  note  book  make  a  longitudinal  section  along 
the  middle  line  of  the  entire  underside  from  a  little  behind  the  head  to 
a  few  scales  from  the  anal  opening,  taking  great  care  not  to  injure  the 
last  scale  in  front  of  the  vent.  The  skin  is  now  removed  from  the  body 
by  gradually  loosening  it  on  each  side  from  the  cut  toward  the  median 
line  of  the  back.  The  body  is  cuUoff  behind  the  skull,  and  a  little  in 
front  of  the  anal  opening,  and  the  tail,  like  the  head,  left  in  the  skin. 
Properly  labeled,  the  skin  is  then  placed  in  alcohol. 

For  skinning  chelonians  the  old  Smithsonian  Directions”  (Misc.  Coll. 
34)  contain  the  following : 

Turtles  and  tortoises  are  more  difiScult  to  prepare  in  this  way,  although  their  skin  ¬ 
ning  can  be  done  quite  rapidly.  “The  breastplate  must  be  separated  by  a  knife  or 
siw  from  the  back,  and,  when  the  viscera  and  fleshy  parts  have  been  removed,  re¬ 
stored  to  its  position.  The  skin  of  the  head  and  neck  must  be  turned  inside  out  as 
far  as  the  head,  and  the  vertebrm  and  flesh  of  the  neck  should  be  detached  from  the 
head,  which,  after  being  freed  from  the  flesh,  the  brain,  and  the  tongue,  may  be  pre¬ 
served  with  the  skin  of  the  neck.  In  skinning  the  legs  and  the  tail,  the  skin  must 
be  turned  inside  out,  and  the  flesh  having  been  removed  from  the  bones;  they  are  to 
he  returned  to  their  places  by  redrawing  the  skin  over  them,  first  winding  a  little 
cotton  or  tow  around  the  bones  to  prevent  the  skin  adhering  to  them  when  it  dries.” — 
Richard  Owen. 

Another  way  of  preparing  these  reptiles  is  as  follows :  Make  two  incisions,  one  from 
the  anterior  end  of  the  breastplate  to  the  symphysis  of  the  lower  jaw,  and  another 
from  the  posterior  end  of  the  breastplate  to  the  vent  or  tip  of  the  tail ;  skin  off  these 
regions  and  remove  all  fleshy  parts  and  viscera  without  touching  the  breastplate  it¬ 
self;  apply  the  preservative,  stuff,  and  sew  up  again  both  incisions. 

TRANSPORTING. 

The  collector  should  make  it  a  point  to  transmit  his  specimens  to  the 
museum  as  soon  and  as  often  as  possible,  and  not  allow  them  to  accu¬ 
mulate  on  his  hands  when  in  the  field. 

If  he  is  within  reach  of  a  United  States  post-office  the  question  of 
transportation  is  a  comparatively  easy  one.  His  specimens  after  an 
immersion  in  alcohol  of  one  to  two  weeks  duration,  according  to  size, 
will  be  found  hardened,  and  once  in  this  condition  they  will  stand  trans¬ 
portation  in  a  nearly  dry  state  for  considerable  time. 

A  cigar  box,  an  old  tomato  can,  or  better  still,  an  empty  baking- 


[13]  COLLECTINC  REPTILES  AND  BATRACHIANS - STEJNEGER. 

powder  cau,  answers  the  purpose  very  well.  Take  some  cotton  batting, 
soak  it  in  alcohol  and  squeeze  it  nearly  dryj  then  wrap  each  individ¬ 
ual  specimen  up  and  pack  them  solidly  in  the  box  or  cau;  when  the 
can  is  full  add  so  much  alcohol  as  the  contents  will  hold  without  drip¬ 
ping  5  wrap  the  parcel  in  several  thicknesses  of  strong  paper,  and  tie 
a  string  securely  around  the  whole ;  finally,  paste  on  a  Smithsonian 
frank  label,  which  will  be  supplied  upon  application,  and  the  package 
is  ready  for  ttie  mail  without  the  sender  having  to  go  to  any  expense 
for  ])ostage. 

The  specimens  may  also  be  packed  in  their  original  cheese-cloth  bags 
or  wrappings,  in  which  case  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  fill  up  the 
vacant  space  with  cotton  saturated  with  alcohol. 

Specimens  thoroughly  cured  and  packed  in  this  way  will  arrive  at 
the  museum  in  good  shape  even  after  the  lapse  of  weeks.  They  can, 
therefore,  also  be  sent  from  foreign  countries,  not  too  remote,  through 
Express  Companies  with  but  little  risk  or  trouble.  It  is  doubtful  if 
they  could  be  sent  through  foreign  parcel  post  on  account  of  the  writ¬ 
ten  labels. 

For  long  distance  transportation  it  may  be  necessary  to  employ 
sealed  tin  cans,  screw-top  collecting  tanks,  or  wooden  kegs,  which  will 
allow  the  use  of  more  alcohol.  But  even  in  this  case  the  specimens 
should  be  packed  dry  and  as  closely  as  possible  without  crowding,  and 
the  vessel  filled  entirely  so  as  to  admit  no  rubbing  of  the  contents.  If 
there  are  not  enough  specimens,  fill  the  vacant  space  with  cotton  or 
other  suitable  material,  being  careful  not  to  employ  any  from  which 
the  alcohol  will  extract  any  discoloring  matter  ;  alcohol  is  then  poured 
in  until  all  vacant  space  is  filled,  and  the  vessel  sealed  hermetically. 
If  a  metal  vessel  is  used  it  should  be  inclosed  in  a  solid  wooden  box. 
Glass  jars  should  be  avoided,  if  possible,  as  too  liable  to  break. 

Finally,  to  sum  up  a  few  of  the  more  important  things  to  be  avoided — 

DonH  tie  a  label  around  the  neck  of  the  specimens. 

l)onH  forget  to  give  the  alcohol  access  to  the  interior  of  the  speci¬ 
mens. 

DonH  slit  the  specimens  open  with  a  knife,  but,  if  you  have  no 
hypodermic  syringe,  use  pointed  scissors. 

DonH  forget  to  label  the  specimens  properly. 

DonH  wrap  the  specimens  in  dry  cotton,  but  soak  it  first  in  alcohol. 

DonH  use  glass  jars,  if  you  can  possibly  help  it. 

DonH  put  sealing  wax  on  the  cork. 

DonH  be  satisfied  with  one  specimen  of  a  kind,  if  more  can  be  ob¬ 
tained. 

DonH  let  your  hypodermic  syringe  dry  up;  keep  the  top  screw  tight 
with  ample  packing  between. 


O 


